The Letters · New Testament
2 Corinthians 6
2 Corinthians 6: a catalogue of hardships and a call to separate
General context
Paul asks the readers not to receive the grace of God in vain, and supports the urgency with a quoted promise about a time accepted and a day of salvation, adding that now is that time. He says he gives no offence so the ministry will not be blamed, then approves himself by a long list: much patience, afflictions, necessities, distresses, stripes, imprisonments, tumults, labours, watchings, fastings. The list turns to qualities and means, pureness, knowledge, longsuffering, kindness, the Holy Ghost, love unfeigned, the word of truth, the power of God, and armour of righteousness on both hands. Then it turns to paired opposites: honour and dishonour, evil report and good report, called deceivers yet true, unknown yet well known, dying yet alive, chastened yet not killed, sorrowful yet rejoicing, poor yet making many rich, having nothing yet possessing all things. He addresses the Corinthians directly, says his mouth is open and his heart enlarged toward them, that any narrowness is on their side, and asks them to be enlarged in return. The chapter closes with a warning not to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers, five questions contrasting righteousness with unrighteousness, light with darkness, Christ with Belial, a believer with an infidel, and the temple of God with idols, followed by quoted promises about God dwelling among his people and receiving those who come out and are separate.
Cited passages: 2 Corinthians 6:1, 2 Corinthians 6:2, 2 Corinthians 6:3, 2 Corinthians 6:4, 2 Corinthians 6:5, 2 Corinthians 6:6, 2 Corinthians 6:7, 2 Corinthians 6:8, 2 Corinthians 6:9, 2 Corinthians 6:10, 2 Corinthians 6:11, 2 Corinthians 6:12, 2 Corinthians 6:13, 2 Corinthians 6:14, 2 Corinthians 6:15, 2 Corinthians 6:16, 2 Corinthians 6:17, 2 Corinthians 6:18
2 Corinthians 6 (KJV)
1We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
2(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
3Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
4But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
5In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
6By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
7By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
8By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;
9As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
10As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
11O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.
12Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
13Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.
14Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
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Historical context
This chapter quotes scripture four times without naming a book. The first is introduced only by for he saith and printed as I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee. Isaiah 49:8 prints the same promise as In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee, so the letter reverses the order of the clauses and reads succoured where Isaiah reads helped. The second, introduced by as God hath said, reads I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Leviticus 26:12 prints And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people, and Ezekiel 37:27 prints My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. The third and fourth are both marked saith the Lord and saith the Lord Almighty. The wording at Isaiah 52:11 is Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing, and at 2 Samuel 7:14 it is I will be his father, and he shall be my son, singular where the letter has sons and daughters. Belial is named at the fifteenth verse and not explained, and the chapter supplies no other person, no place, no journey and no date beyond the direct address to the Corinthians.
Cited passages: 2 Corinthians 6:2, 2 Corinthians 6:15, 2 Corinthians 6:16, 2 Corinthians 6:17, 2 Corinthians 6:18, Isaiah 49:8, Leviticus 26:12, Ezekiel 37:27, Isaiah 52:11, 2 Samuel 7:14
Literary context
The middle of the chapter is a list that changes shape three times without a break in the sentence. It starts with circumstances endured, moves to qualities and equipment, then becomes a run of paired opposites in which each concession is immediately answered, as deceivers, and yet true. The effect is a credential built out of things that look like disqualifications. The address then narrows to one word, Corinthians, the only place in the letter where they are addressed by that name, and the language becomes physical: an open mouth, an enlarged heart, a narrowness the readers are said to be carrying themselves. The final section switches to questions, five of them in three verses, each demanding the same answer, and then hands the answer to quoted scripture instead of stating it. The chapter ends on promise rather than command.
Cited passages: 2 Corinthians 6:4, 2 Corinthians 6:5, 2 Corinthians 6:6, 2 Corinthians 6:7, 2 Corinthians 6:8, 2 Corinthians 6:9, 2 Corinthians 6:10, 2 Corinthians 6:11, 2 Corinthians 6:12, 2 Corinthians 6:13, 2 Corinthians 6:14, 2 Corinthians 6:15, 2 Corinthians 6:16, 2 Corinthians 6:17, 2 Corinthians 6:18
Key moments
- Now is the accepted time (2 Corinthians 6:2). Paul quotes a promise about a day of salvation and applies it to the present.
- The hardship list (2 Corinthians 6:5). He names stripes, imprisonments, tumults, labours, watchings and fastings.
- As deceivers, and yet true (2 Corinthians 6:8). He pairs honour with dishonour and denies the accusations attached to him.
- Our heart is enlarged (2 Corinthians 6:11). Paul addresses the Corinthians by name and says his heart is open to them.
- Unequally yoked (2 Corinthians 6:14). He warns against being unequally yoked with unbelievers and asks what light shares with darkness.
- Come out and be separate (2 Corinthians 6:17). Quoted words call the readers to separate and promise that God will receive them.
For reflection
Paul says the Corinthians are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels, and asks them to be enlarged. Where is the narrowness in a strained relationship of yours actually located?
